Job 12
1 Then Job answered,
Wasephendula uJobe wathi:
2 "No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
Ngoba isibili lingabantu, lenhlakanipho izakufa lani.
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn't know such things as these?
Lami ngilengqondo njengani, kangiphansi kulani. Njalo ngubani ongelazo izinto ezinje?
4 I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.
Ngiyinhlekisa kumngane wami, obiza kuNkulunkulu amphendule; olungileyo oqondileyo uyinhlekisa.
5 In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.
Uyisibane esidelelekayo emnakanweni wowonwabileyo; ulungele ukutshelela ngonyawo.
6 The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their god in their hands.
Amathente abaphangi alokuthula, labamthukuthelisayo uNkulunkulu bavikelekile, kulowo oletha uNkulunkulu esandleni sakhe.
7 "But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.
Kodwa-ke buza khathesi inyamazana, zizakufundisa, lenyoni zamazulu, zizakutshela.
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.
Kumbe khuluma lomhlaba, uzakufundisa, lenhlanzi zolwandle zizakulandisela.
9 Who doesn't know that in all these, the hand of Jehovah has done this,
Ngubani ongaziyo phakathi kwakho konke lokhu ukuthi isandla sikaJehova sikwenzile lokhu?
10 in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all humankind?
Okusesandleni sakhe umphefumulo wakho konke okuphilayo, lomoya wayo yonke inyama yomuntu.
11 Doesn't the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?
Indlebe kayihloli yini amazwi, njengolwanga luzinambithela ukudla?
12 With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.
Kwabadala kakhulu kulenhlakanipho, lebudeni bezinsuku kulokuqedisisa.
13 "With him is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.
Kuye kukhona inhlakanipho lamandla, uleseluleko lokuqedisisa.
14 Look, he breaks down, and it can't be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
Khangela, udiliza, kungabe kusakhiwa; uvalela umuntu, kungabe kusavulwa.
15 Look, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
Khangela, uvimbela amanzi, atshe; abesewathuma, agenqule umhlaba.
16 With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.
Kuye kukhona amandla lenhlakanipho; okhohlisiweyo lomkhohlisi bangabakhe.
17 He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.
Ukhupha abeluleki bahambe behlutshulwe, enze abehluleli babe yizithutha.
18 He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.
Uthukulula isibopho samakhosi, abophe umbhinco enkalweni zawo.
19 He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.
Ukhupha abapristi bahambe behlutshulwe, awise abalamandla.
20 He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.
Uphambula inkulumo yabathembekileyo, asuse ukuqedisisa kwabasebekhulile.
21 He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.
Uthela ukudelela phezu kweziphathamandla, axegise umbhinco wabalamandla.
22 He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
Wembula izinto ezijulileyo ezisemnyameni, akhuphele ekukhanyeni ithunzi lokufa.
23 He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
Enze izizwe zibe zinkulu, abesezichitha; andise izizwe, abesezisusa.
24 He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
Ususa inhliziyo yenhloko zabantu bomhlaba, aziduhise enkangala engelandlela.
25 They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
Ziphumputhe emnyameni kungelakukhanya, uzenza zidiyazele njengodakiweyo.
